I am unable to visit the Toad Shaman without getting that gentleman hopping mad and uncommunicative, by killing one of his idiotic villagers - you know, that one who hangs around the tunnel on the way to the Shaman's hut and simply WILL not get out of the way to let me pass without a good bludgeoning. How is this wretched minion dealt with or circumvented? - or is he a bug as well as a toad?

I got by most blocking NPC's by moving forward and wiggling the mouse left-right-left. Eventually you inch forward to a point where you can get around them normally. So far it's worked for Toads, Thieves, Gypsies, Boogres, D'Soto (and a similar method got me through that underwater tunnel to the Serpent Idol*) and the occasional Miner.

*Another trick to consider, if you're lucky enough to have this happen: Underwater fights pause your drowning. So, if you're stuck in that tunnel with monsters, don't kill them all unless/until you can make your way through. Discovered this one while going after Lagoon Pirannha I had put to sleep with the witch stick.